News Article: McGuire: "Habs are in trouble"

[Spearmint Rhino]

Too long spent being half pregnant, you can't be both a Cup Contender and building through the draft, need to pick one

Drafting mid 20s every year is a shot in the dark at best, should've flipped all those picks and went for it and then do a true rebuild when the Cup window is closed and the Cupboards are bare

Pay whatever it takes to keep Radulov and Markov now or might as well deal Price, Weber, Pacioretty and Petry and build around Drouin/Chucky/Gally/Lehkonen and the returns from our core

 

[LastWordArmy]

McGuire wants to get Bergevin fired cause he thinks he has a chance at the job. I can not take him seriously.

 

[Talks to Goalposts]

His overall premise is defensible, but he gets into McGuire-isms that completely misunderstand the value of certain players (like a Foligno) and mistakes which teams are rising and which are not.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Im dreamin of a fisty cuffs fight between salty Pee-air and bargain bin.

Now id pay for that

 

[EXPOS123]

That top 6 ****ing sucks.

Don't trade your 1st next year MB. You're gonna need it if Rads and Markov both walk.

This is my biggest fear and sadly I'm pretty sure that whats gonna happen

Our first rounder for Claude Giroux - you know it's happening

 

[Habaneros]

McGuire wants to get Bergevin fired cause he thinks he has a chance at the job. I can not take him seriously.

They are grooming Larry Larry Carriere to take over from Bergy


For some reason I get a sense we may not have yet seen the darkest day in Habs history???

 

[M.C.G. 31]

It all comes down to Price. If he doesn't re-sign or costs so much they are handcuffed going forward, the Habs are screwed. Their are major issues developing young players, they have struggled at times with asset management (at other times they have made great trades like getting Danault/2nd for Weise) and there's not much on the AHL team to turn things around. They might get lucky and get something out of guys like Hudon, Reway, Evans, Bitten, etc... (meaning smaller and or skinner skilled guys)

The question is if they lose Price, when this team falls apart and becomes a non playoff team, how long will Molson give MB and his staff before getting the axe? Hopefully whoever comes in cleans house. They must replace the AHL staff, improve the development system (not calling up 19/20/21 year olds before they are ready. Get rid of Churla and other scouts. If Timmins has to go then so be it but they better have someone better in mind.

I would hope they keep Waite, Vincent Riendeau (if he's still working with the goalies, did a great job with Condon imo). Can't see Molson agreeing to let CJ go, as it would mean he would be paying 3 coaches, MT, CJ and whoever they get to take over in say 2-3 years. (since we may have a lockout after 2 seasons)

They would need to build the team around Drouin, Galchenyuk (if he's not traded), Lehkonen and whatever other prospects step up.

They would need to acquire as many draft picks as possible and hope that whoever they have scouting can get the job done and then whoever they have in charge of develop can help them improve instead of struggling.

Going to be very interesting to see what Price does and what happens to the Habs. Maybe MB feels the heat and will surprise and find the right parts to turn this ship around after 2 disappointing seasons.

Pretty much how I see it too. If we keep Price, we're spinning our tires until he declines. A lot of cap tied up to him, not good enough to win the Cup but not bad enough to miss the playoffs. Bergevin being "saved" so to speak and continuing to do things with no plan, etc.

It's why -- as much as it pains me to say -- I hope Carey decides to move on and go somewhere where he can win the Cup. This way I can see him actually winning one, and the Habs can finally begin the inevitable and HOPEFULLY draft a franchise center along the lines of a Matthews or Eichel (McDavid like would be great, too, but he's generational).

I wish we also did what Toronto does and use all the money they have to sign the best staff in regards to scouts, player development, coaches, etc.

 

[Habaneros]

Pretty much how I see it too. If we keep Price, we're spinning our tires until he declines. A lot of cap tied up to him, not good enough to win the Cup but not bad enough to miss the playoffs. Bergevin being "saved" so to speak and continuing to do things with no plan, etc.

It's why -- as much as it pains me to say -- I hope Carey decides to move on and go somewhere where he can win the Cup. This way I can see him actually winning one, and the Habs can finally begin the inevitable and HOPEFULLY draft a franchise center along the lines of a Matthews or Eichel (McDavid like would be great, too, but he's generational).

I wish we also did what Toronto does and use all the money they have to sign the best staff in regards to scouts, player development, coaches, etc.

Imho ...Markov is jumping ship...He knows he got one last chance to win a Cup...990 games in Montreal..packing up and getting out.

As far as the Habs getting a tank season and getting a Matthews or McDavid....Look at Connor 20 yrs old 13.5 Million...


That would be our luck!! Get a McDavid in the draft...and have to pay him 15 million a year with 4-5 years left on the Carey Price at 11 Million deal...that would be a nightmare cap wise...

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

Pretty much how I see it too. If we keep Price, we're spinning our tires until he declines. A lot of cap tied up to him, not good enough to win the Cup but not bad enough to miss the playoffs. Bergevin being "saved" so to speak and continuing to do things with no plan, etc.

It's why -- as much as it pains me to say -- I hope Carey decides to move on and go somewhere where he can win the Cup. This way I can see him actually winning one, and the Habs can finally begin the inevitable and HOPEFULLY draft a franchise center along the lines of a Matthews or Eichel (McDavid like would be great, too, but he's generational).

I wish we also did what Toronto does and use all the money they have to sign the best staff in regards to scouts, player development, coaches, etc.

It's so frustrating that some of us Habs fan see the implosion of this team as the "proper" way to become contenders again. In 2012, when PG was fired, I didn't feel this team was in such bad shape as it is today.

The reason I use implosion is because we have very few parts that can really get any value going out, if this GM ever let's reality set in that this team is just not getting to the next level.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Im dreamin of a fisty cuffs fight between salty Pee-air and bargain bin.

Now id pay for that

It wouldn't bode well for Pierre on that one.

vs.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Imho ...Markov is jumping ship...He knows he got one last chance to win a Cup...990 games in Montreal..packing up and getting out.

As far as the Habs getting a tank season and getting a Matthews or McDavid....Look at Connor 20 yrs old 13.5 Million...


That would be our luck!! Get a McDavid in the draft...and have to pay him 15 million with 4-5 years left on the Carey Price at 11 Million deal...that would be a nightmare cap wise...

I said down the road. I didn't say Matthews, Eichel or McDavid exactly, I said a franchise center LIKE Matthews or Eichel. And at that point we won't have to worry about Price -- he'd be long gone, we'd have moved on and had our shiny new franchise center that we've been longing for, the cap would have gone up by that point, etc.

And if the decision ever came between paying a McDavid like center $13.5m or a Price like goaltender $11m, I'm paying the McDavid-like center 10 times out of 10. No second thinking.

It's so frustrating that some of us Habs fan see the implosion of this team as the "proper" way to become contenders again. In 2012, when PG was fired, I didn't feel this team was in such bad shape as it is today.

The reason I use implosion is because we have very few parts that can really get any value going out, if this GM ever let's reality set in that this team is just not getting to the next level.

Yeah... 2012 was looking pretty good when we got new management and whatnot. Young players in the system, Price not even in his prime yet, good contracts, young core and good cap situation, 3rd overall... it was looking like we could have won the Cup within five years of that span. Yet here we are...

 

[Tyson]

Yeah funny that people attack the messenger and not the message. He is not wrong. By this time tomorrow the Habs will be worse than the team that lost in the first round

 

[Link67]

This is my biggest fear and sadly I'm pretty sure that whats gonna happen

Our first rounder for Claude Giroux - you know it's happening

So you wouldn't trade Poehling for Giroux if Philly retains salary like Toronto did with Kessel?

Because that is essentially what Trading our 20th pick next year to philly will look like. Giroux also fits the age group of this team, they would either win it or all wither away and be done at the roughly the same time.

I'm not fan of his contract at all, but at a retained salary and for only a first round pick that will likely land in the 20's again? Put me down as interested, depending on how much they are willing to retain, Put me down as doing it.

 

[CGG]

That top 6 ****ing sucks.

Don't trade your 1st next year MB. You're gonna need it if Rads and Markov both walk.

Do you really think Radulov is that much better than Drouin? Because beyond that the only other meaningful change to our forward group thus far is that Desharnais went away.

I get that you're not happy as of June 30 but try harder. That group with Rads instead of Drouin coasted into first place in the division last season.

Radulov = 0.71 points per game
Drouin = 0.73

 

[Habs Icing]

We need:
-2 top 6 C We can do with one
-1 top 6 RW no we don't
-2 top 4 LHD we need just one

Ya good luck Bergevin.

McGuire is exaggerating as usual.

 

[lo striver]

 

[Habaneros]

I said down the road. I didn't say Matthews, Eichel or McDavid exactly, I said a franchise center LIKE Matthews or Eichel. And at that point we won't have to worry about Price -- he'd be long gone, we'd have moved on and had our shiny new franchise center that we've been longing for, the cap would have gone up by that point, etc.

And if the decision ever came between paying a McDavid like center $13.5m or a Price like goaltender $11m, I'm paying the McDavid-like center 10 times out of 10. No second thinking.



Yeah... 2012 was looking pretty good when we got new management and whatnot. Young players in the system, Price not even in his prime yet, good contracts, young core and good cap situation, 3rd overall... it was looking like we could have won the Cup within five years of that span. Yet here we are...

How do we know? I mean we don't know if 2017/18 is goona be a year of the tank....All it takes is a Price injury and down we go ...The odds of Price staying healthy for all 8 years is very slim....Sure puts us in a massive jam if we give Price 11 millon 2017/18 and tank 2017-18 or 2018-19 season and get a McDavid..who will need to pay 14-15 million only 4 years into Carey Price's contact....Yikes...

 

[angry pirate]

We need:
-2 top 6 C

I disagree. We definitely need one additional center, and I would like an upgrade on Plekanec sadly enough, but I think Danault can be a good 2C for us. Up-gradable at the deadline? Sure. But I think that;

Galchenyuk - Danault - Drouin

can be a really good 2nd line.

-1 top 6 RW

Nope, we have Galchenyuk, Lehkonen, Drouin, Gallagher, Pacioretty. Only Pacioretty is a mainstay as a LW. Lots of options for our top 6 wings.

-2 top 4 LHD

Yes.

 

[DangerDave]

Did he just figure this out now? Old news

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

McGuire is exaggerating as usual.

-2 top 6 C We can do with one
-1 top 6 RW no we don't
-2 top 4 LHD we need just one

We can do with one Center if Glachenyuk plays center a good part of the year. Danault as a 2ndC isn't the end of the world, but I would prefer better.

At RW we have only Gallagher and Shaw. Yes Glachenyuk or Lehkonen could be converted, but that still remains a need, whether internal or not.

This team needs 2 LHD. Who is playing with Weber? Who is playing with Petry? Schlemko, Davidson, Jerabek? Not instilling any confidence.

 

[Belial]

Do you really think Radulov is that much better than Drouin? Because beyond that the only other meaningful change to our forward group thus far is that Desharnais went away.

I get that you're not happy as of June 30 but try harder. That group with Rads instead of Drouin coasted into first place in the division last season.

Radulov = 0.71 points per game
Drouin = 0.73

Seriously... It's like this team lost 10 players or something.

McGuire is exaggerating as usual.

He would be a great fit on this board.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

How do we know? I mean we don't know if 2017/18 is goona be a year of the tank....All it takes if Price injury and down we go ...The odds of Price staying healthy for all 8 years is very slim....Sure puts us in a massive jam if we give Price 11 millon 2017/18 and tank 2017-18 or 2018-19 season and get a McDavid..who will need to pay 14-15 million only 4 years into Carey Price's contact....Yikes...

Well we don't have a McDavid and there's not a McDavid on the horizon and if something did happen next season where we ended up with a top-3 pick, we're either landing on a winger (Svechnikov), defenseman (Dahlin) or someone else (still with good potential) at 3 or 4.

And if Price gets hurt, what makes you think he'd command $11m?

McDavid-like players are generational. Guys like Matthews and Eichel probably top out at $10-11m unless the cap explodes, which is worth it for players like that (aka, franchise centers).

But that's not the point of my posts. My point is DOWN THE ROAD when we actually start rebuilding. A Price injury in 17/18 won't start a rebuild. It'll be the same as it was in 15-16 where we ended up with a top-10 pick but not top-4 unless everyone just phones it in.

 

[Habaneros]

Well we don't have a McDavid and there's not a McDavid on the horizon and if something did happen next season where we ended up with a top-3 pick, we're either landing on a winger (Svechnikov), defenseman (Dahlin) or someone else (still with good potential) at 3 or 4.

And if Price gets hurt, what makes you think he'd command $11m?

McDavid-like players are generational. Guys like Matthews and Eichel probably top out at $10-11m unless the cap explodes, which is worth it for players like that (aka, franchise centers).

But that's not the point of my posts. My point is DOWN THE ROAD when we actually start rebuilding. A Price injury in 17/18 won't start a rebuild. It'll be the same as it was in 15-16 where we ended up with a top-10 pick but not top-4 unless everyone just phones it in.

How do you rebuild with an 11 million goalie??? That has to be considered crazy....untradable contract

Bob McKenize says he thinks Price's cap hit is goona be north of 10 million...10-11 million he said...

Price contract will be for 8 years...a rebuild will need to happen way before 8 years is up...and you're stuck will 11 million in nets..

Also another bad thing is , McNevin and Lingdren will be long gone before Price's 8 year x 11 Million deal ends....So you lose those assets...

 

[NobleSix]

Do you really think Radulov is that much better than Drouin? Because beyond that the only other meaningful change to our forward group thus far is that Desharnais went away.

I get that you're not happy as of June 30 but try harder. That group with Rads instead of Drouin coasted into first place in the division last season.

Radulov = 0.71 points per game
Drouin = 0.73

The idea was to add to our pathetic offense, not laterally maintain it.

If Markov leaves, that means we'd have lost Markov, Emelin, Beaulieu, and Sergachev all in one summer, while adding Schlemko and Jerabek. Massive downgrade. And adding a declining #4 dman in Alzner is not going to change that. How many PMDs would we have on our team then? Petry? That's it? That's horrible. 3 defensive shutdown dmen in our top 4? In 2017? Horrible.

Drouin simply replacing Radulov is not good enough. The Habs needed to upgrade this offseason. We won the easiest division in the NHL last season. We had like a 20 point lead at one point and blew it. We didn't coast to anything, the sens were hot on our ass until the last couple weeks of the season. Then we got ****canned by the Rangers in the first round, and they sucked.

Bottom line: This roster needs a big improvement this summer. Losing Radulov and Markov and adding Drouin and Alzner is not nearly good enough. Raise your expectations. It's the Montreal Canadiens were talking about here not the Arizona Coyotes.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

How do you rebuild with an 11 million goalie??? That has to be considered crazy....untradable contract

Bob McKenize says he thinks Price's cap hit is goona be north of 10 million...10-11 million he said...

Price contract will be for 8 years...a rebuild will need to happen way before 8 years is up...and you're stuck will 11 million in nets

Then don't sign him?

I don't get what this has to do with what I said earlier. Either you sign Price for 8 years and you're not rebuilding until he declines or you don't re-sign Price and you rebuild starting next summer. There's no situation where you end up with a 1st overall franchise center if you have a Carey Price between the pipes that has proven he can single handedly carry a team into the playoffs.